ABYDOS, a town and castle of Anatolia, on the Straits of Gallipoli. In its neighborhood Xerxes, when he invaded Greece, crossed with his immense army the Hellespont, on a bridge of boats. Memorable also from being the scene of the loves of Hero and Leander, and from Byron having adopted its name in his “Bride of Abydos.”

Also an ancient city of Upper Egypt, on the left bank of the Nile, supposed to have been the ancient This, and to have been second only to Thebes.